Online shopping has become universal. Anything you can buy at a store can now be purchased through the Internet, which is why many small businesses have launched online retail locations. Have you thought about it?
If you already have a store offering merchandise to walk-in customers, you’ve made a sizable investment. Even if your business is thriving, its success is limited due to physical location. A customer will travel only so many miles to shop. By making your company’s products available for purchase on the Internet, you’ll be opening your business to a world of consumers at a very minimal start-up cost.
When looking to sell your wares online, you’ll find that there are many options available:
• Classifieds and auction-type sites (like craigslist.org and eBay.com) are either free or charge a small fee to list and sell your items. EBay enables you to have a basic website that lists your items. Both Craigslist.org and eBay reach a very large audience and are widely recognized online. Note: Craigslist.org is generally geared toward businesses with specialty products rather than for general retailers.
• PayPal has significantly increased its shopping options since eBay acquired it back in 2002. From simple “Buy Now” options integrated into your website to full shopping carts and subscription options, PayPal offers a wide array of charging methods. However, it’s important to know that PayPal is not a bank and therefore not regulated with the same strict federal regulations.
• Another new entry to online shopping is Google Checkout. The popular search engine has launched a simple and quick checkout process. Some major online retailers have added it to their payment options, even offering $10 off a customer’s first Google Checkout payment.
To launch an online retail store, there are several ways to go. Pre-packaged Web site products, such as Yahoo Stores, provide a quick-start option but offer limited designs and options. On the other hand, a custom or semi-custom web site implementation will enable you to create a shopping cart specifically designed for your company’s products and industry.
In next month’s article, I will provide more information about online retail locations, including specific custom shopping cart options and associated fees.
Based in Valencia, Magical Productions provides full-service Internet production, including Web site design, development, hosting, co-location, search engine optimization and marketing, copywriting and editing.
For more information, please call 661-977-9509, visit www.magicalproductions.net or email hello@magicalproductions.net .